A laptop computer containing "limited" medical information about patients at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital was stolen from a physician's car earlier this month, the hospital announced Monday.

The theft happened the night of Jan. 9, when the physician was parked away from the hospital, the hospital said in a statement. An investigation involving law enforcement and the hospital's internal security was opened the following day, but the laptop has yet to be recovered.

The laptop was password-protected, according to the statement.

The hospital said it has contacted approximately 57,000 patients about the theft. In addition to mailed letters, the hospital has established a toll-free line to answer questions. The number is 855-731-6016 and available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The information, which was predominately from 2009 and related to past patient care and research, included names and dates of birth, basic medical descriptors and medical record numbers, which were used only by the hospital to identify patients. There was also limited contact information for some of the patients.

The hospital said none of the "limited" information on the laptop was marketable. It did not contain Social Security numbers and financial or credit card information, according to the statement.

However, free identity protection services are being offered to all of the potentially affected patients.

To date, there is no indication that any patient information has been accessed or compromised, according to the statement. In the meantime, the hospital is beefing up its existing safeguards.

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"As a result of this incident, we are taking additional steps to further strengthen our policies and controls surrounding the protection of patient data, including redoubling our efforts to ensure that all computers and devices containing medical information are encrypted," the statement said.